The Caribbean, by a lot. A week in Hawaii for two came to about $9,095 with the hidden costs included, against $5,202 for a 7-night Caribbean cruise and $7,306 for a week at an all-inclusive. Hawaii's extras alone add about $3,230.
Both have turquoise water, both have beaches you'll be screensaving for years, and both will put a drink with an umbrella in your hand. The difference is the bill. Hawaii is a place where everything costs a little more, and then the hotel adds a fee for the privilege of parking near it.
A week for two, side by side
We priced each option for two people, 7 nights, from a typical US airport, with the costs nobody puts in the brochure.
| Option | Looks like | Hidden costs | Really costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (hotel and rental car) | $5,865 | +$3,230 | $9,095 |
| Caribbean cruise | $2,500 | +$2,702 | $5,202 |
| Caribbean or Mexico all-inclusive | $5,940 | +$1,366 | $7,306 |
| Hawaii cruise | $4,400 | +$2,784 | $7,184 |
Where Hawaii gets you
- Hotel taxes, about $473. Hawaii's hotel taxes add about 18 to 19 percent to the room rate. That's not a fee, that's a whole extra night.
- Resort fees, about $350. Many resorts add $40 to $65 a night.
- Hotel parking, about $350. Resort parking often runs $40 to $70 a night, so yes, you pay to park the car you're paying to rent.
- The rental car, about $595. Most islands are hard to see without one, and rates often run $65 to $95 a day before taxes. Gas costs more too.
- The luau, about $350 for two. A traditional luau often costs $150 to $275 per person. Worth doing once. Probably not twice.
- A second island, about $400 more. Short inter-island flights often cost $150 or more each way, and once you've seen one island you'll want another.
Where the Caribbean gets you
The Caribbean isn't free of surprises, it just hides them in different places.
- On a cruise: port fees, nightly gratuities, drinks and excursions add about $2,702 for two. Our 10 hidden cruise costs guide breaks them down.
- At an all-inclusive: the extras are smaller, about $1,366: airport transfers, excursions, tips, top-shelf drinks and arrival taxes like Cancun's (about $16 per visitor).
- Passports: most Caribbean trips need one, at about $165 each for a new adult passport. Hawaii doesn't. That's one real point for Hawaii.
When Hawaii is still the right call
You live on the West Coast. Flights to Hawaii from California or Seattle can cost less than flights to the Caribbean, which closes a lot of the gap. Our Compare page estimates airfare from your own city.
You want more than a beach. Volcanoes, rainforest hikes and road trips along the coast are things a cruise or a resort can't give you.
You don't have passports. Hawaii is the only tropical getaway on this list that doesn't need one.
For everyone else, especially families on the East Coast, the Caribbean gives you the same sand for a lot less money.
How we got these numbers
Every row comes from the matching calculator, set to two travelers for 7 nights. For the all-inclusive we stretched its sample 5-night stay to 7 nights at the same nightly rate. Prices were checked against published rates and are updated monthly. Your city and dates will change the airfare most, so run your own numbers.
Run your own numbers
Every figure here comes from a free calculator. Change any number to match your trip.